Reese 20k Hitch Excessive Slop/Play?

[mschaffer66]

So I recently decided I was going to upgrade our hitch.

I purchased a Reese 20k single jaw hitch because I've been reading that it's a much more secure, less noisy thing than the slide bar or dual jaw hitches.

After installing it in the truck I've got to say I'm concerned with amount of slop in the head. When its sitting there the head of the hitch rests on the center section and moves all over the place quite easily. There is probably 1/4" or more of up down slop in the head not to mention how much it can twist or flop back and forth.

Here are a couple videos of what I'm talking about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJNxnplWHxU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4YURPu4Eik

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92l4QV7ORq8

Does this seem normal to anyone? It seems like not only making a holy racket going down the road it's going to wear the powder coating off itself and start rusting pretty soon.

My goal in all this was to make something that pulls a bit smoother and quieter...but I'm really starting to rethink the idea.

Thanks in advance

[davemitchell59]

My Curt hitch has some movement, which I trust is to allow for some shifting and adjustment to differential terrain. But, I have to put some pretty good pressure on it to get it to move. There's a little play, but nothing like that.


Yours looks pretty sloppy in the videos. Putting load on it should reduce that, but I'd have the same questions you have. And, I'm not sure I'd want to put a load on it without knowing it's right. No sense ruining your 5'er over a bad hitch. It's almost as though it's missing some stabilizing springs or something isn't quite connected properly.

[jeffba]

I have the B&W Companion. It moves front to back and sideways, but the movement is dampened. I would call Reese and see what they have to say. It does not seem right to me.

[mschaffer66]

The official word from Reese is that that is perfectly normal.

It's just crazy, my old Curt Q5 didn't have any of that kind of play, but still had the 4 directions of tilt.

I suppose I'll give it a run and then see how it goes.

I plan on putting some rubber in spots to help quiet it down when its unloaded...the truck is the wifes daily driver....

[BB_TX]

My 7 yr old Reese Elite with the same head has had similar movement from new. But with the trailer on there is no noise from it. I think it is just normal pivoting action.

I use a bungee from around the handle to the base, mainly to keep handle below my tonneau cover. But it keeps it from moving also.

[DQDick]

That's one of the reasons I got rid of my old Reese slider and went to a Pullrite.